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  • I'm in the wrong... but....

    We've just moved and we're between homes right now. We had to sell to buy and couldn't get the closings to match up so we're at my brothers for a couple of months. That's the story to explain why I don't need my cable for this time. So a few days before moving I call my cable company to get the service disconnected. They tell me that I owe them for one months service because that's their policy on disconnects. It's in their terms of service and on all the bills.

    So, I'm in the wrong... but... yes it's in their terms of service, the 30 page fine print book that nobody reads. Yes it's on the bills, in ultra fine print half tones that you literally have to use a magnifying glass to read. And most infuriating, my wife called four weeks prior but they wouldn't let her do anything because the account is in my name; no mention was made of this policy. I was putting in 70 and 80 hour work weeks and couldn't take care of it prior to the final week.

    Well I'm sorry but I've got to be the SC here. I've given this company thousands of dollars over the years and if they want me to keep doing that at our new home, they're waiving this greedy little pig policy. I guess I'm just clearing my conscience here before becoming what I hate but feel free to share your thoughts on it.
    D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.
    Quoth = Crossbow "EvilHomer, Irv, Gravekeeper, and Seraph: the Four Horsemen of the Dumbpocalypse."

  • #2
    It's a tough call. Try to be easy on the call center peeps, as it's highly likely they have absolutely zero control of this, and may not even be authorized to waive the fee. No point in being sucky, but no reason to be a sucker in this case either.

    I'd make a point when calling in to be calm and polite, and explain the situation. See if there is any way they can suspend service for a few months (I know some companies do this) until you get settled in your new place. If that's not possible, and you absolutely have to cancel to suspend the service, ask to speak to a supervisor or someone who could waive the fee. Explain, again calmly, that if they're able to do that for you, it's quite likely that you'll return to them for service when you move into your new home, but that if you don't, you will find another service provider. Don't make threats, be polite, and just try to make sure you're talking to someone who can authorize what you want before you get upset, if possible.
    "In the end I was the mean girl/or somebody's in between girl"~Neko Case

    “You don't need many words if you already know what you're talking about.” ~William Stafford

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    • #3
      Oh yeah, definately the route I'll go. I'm stubborn as anyone and if someone with no case is an asshole with me, they get nothing.

      I just hate being that guy whose threatening the multi-billion dollar corporation with the loss of $100 per month, expecting an "Oh, no please Mr. huge customer, we'll die without you, we'll give you anything you want".
      D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.
      Quoth = Crossbow "EvilHomer, Irv, Gravekeeper, and Seraph: the Four Horsemen of the Dumbpocalypse."

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      • #4
        I went satellite, I'll never go back Cable companies SUCK. They didn't start adding channels until the satellite companies came along and forced them to. Screw them.

        Also, be nice to the call center folks until you start to get the shaft. Then, get the highest ranking one you can find and FLAME ON.

        Sorry folks, if customer rant at you for legitimate gripes, it's your company that has put you in front of the flames.
        "Always stand near the door." -- Doctor Who

        Kuya's Kitchen -- Cooking, Cooking Gadgets, and Food Related Blather from a Transplanted Foodie

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        • #5
          I hate to be "that guy", but it's stated in their policies, most cable companies mail them out at least once a year. Not to mention it's probably on their website, and maybe even a paper copy available at a local office. Just because "nobody reads it" doesn't make it somehow not applicable. That's the cornerstone of almost every SC post on this site. Considering your circumstance of being in between houses, they should be willing to try to help you out. If you go in with guns-a-blazing over how you shouldn't be forced to follow the rules because you didn't read them, you'll probably be told (politely) to pound salt.

          I'd just call in and explain what's going out and ask them what they can do. Odds are, you'll end up getting what you would want without having to spill any blood.

          Also:


          And most infuriating, my wife called four weeks prior but they wouldn't let her do anything because the account is in my name; no mention was made of this policy.
          It's an attempt to curb identity theft. One of the biggest ways it happens is to have someone of the opposite gender call in and say they are the wife/husband and get all kinds of info. Not to mention the exes who call in to see if their spouses have accounts at other addresses (which tend to be apartments, if you get my drift). You have no idea how often I ask for basic info like account numbers and get met with aggravated sighs and "NOOOO ONE EVER ASKS MEEEEEEEEEEE THAT" yet the moment I don't, I get berated for giving out details with no verification. My standard response is yes it's a PITA, but it's for your protection. See if your provider can add your wife to the account as someone authorized to make changes.
          "You know, there are times when it's a source of personal pride not to be human." - Hobbes

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          • #6
            I think I'd go with one of two things:

            * seeing if you can do a suspension of service - a lot of companies are willing to do that, especially when people go on long vacations or are between homes as you are.

            * asking why, when your wife called, the rep didn't give her that basic information. Sure, she couldn't have done anything to the account (which is reasonable), but she could have been told what would be involved. Specifically, the month's payment. There's no reason she couldn't have been told generic stuff that isn't specific to your particular account.
            Given that she wasn't, it's quite possible a rep (if you're nice and polite and reasonable) will give you whatever concessions they are allowed to give. It might not be what you want, but it may well be the maximum that rep is authorised to give. Or they might specifically pick the nice supervisor to send you to.
            Don't ask in the 'I want to know' way - you're asking more to provide a face-saving reason for the rep to give you concessions than because you want to know. Take a line more like 'if we'd known that, we could have arranged things differently'.
            Last edited by Seshat; 02-11-2008, 07:49 AM.
            Seshat's self-help guide:
            1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
            2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
            3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
            4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

            "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

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            • #7
              There's no reason she couldn't have been told generic stuff that isn't specific to your particular account
              I guess different cable companies are different when it comes to calling in, but my company needs to verify either account number or ss # on the account. Even if its a woman calling with a man's name on the account, since if someone has your ss #, you've got bigger things to worry about than someone knowing the balance on your cable bill.

              Basically anyone calling in with no account info to verify is not going to be told any information at all. It can be aggravating (and I've had plenty of "but I'm the wife/husband!!!" calls) but you seriously have no idea how many people call in to the cable company to snoop on people. Besides, if you're calling in to a company that you pay a monthly amount to like utilities, cable, or credit cards, you really should have the last statement nearby anyway. It makes everyone's life a zillion percent easier.
              "You know, there are times when it's a source of personal pride not to be human." - Hobbes

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              • #8
                Working for a company that has a similar policy, you were likely informed of it when you began your service contract. As such, yes you do have to pay the extra month.

                You've also touched on one of my pet peeves. People who put accounts into their name and don't include their spouse's name, and yet get their spouse to phone in to deal with stuff. The account is in *YOUR* name, YOU deal with it. Otherwise, make the necessary arrangements to add your spouse's name to the account. Telling me you're so-and-so's wife does nothing for me, it doesn't authorize me to discuss the account with you (not speaking to the OP directly, just to the dozens of people who do this to me every day, and then yell when I won't help them... I'm sorry, but it's the law, and I'm not gonna lose my job just to help you).

                Edited to add an aside... yes, the rep was a bit sucky in not telling your wife about the policy, however, when she phoned in - in plenty of time - they likely didn't think it would take you another *four weeks* to phone back. She was phoning within the policy timeframe, thus they likely didn't think to inform her that if no one phoned back for another month, there would be penalties incurred.
                Last edited by tollbaby; 02-11-2008, 05:05 PM.
                GK/Kara/Jester fangirl.

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                • #9
                  My cable company is Comcast and their computer system is lame. To add my husband's name, since we don't have the same last name, they had to put our last name as hyphenated. At least this way he can call in when there are problems. Unfortunately, he also signed up for the NFL network.
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                  • #10
                    Weird. Few call centers I've worked at had places we could mark authorized contacts.

                    Of course, for cancellation, that always requires the actual account holder. May I suggest having the least busy spouse be the one to sign up services next time?
                    There is no .sig that still seems clever 50 posts later.

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                    • #11
                      Quoth marasbaras View Post
                      Sorry folks, if customer rant at you for legitimate gripes, it's your company that has put you in front of the flames.
                      Yes, because we never have members making threads saying "I know the policy sucks but you're yelling at the wrong person" here. Oh wait...
                      Ba'al: I'm a god. Gods are all-knowing.

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